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“Okay.”

I’ve discovered that children absorb tone changes like humidity.

I throw the ruined paper towel away and check the clock again.

Lucy is dressed, lunch is mostly packed, and I’m pretty sure the permission slip I’ve signed for her would hold up in court. I’ve consumed an irresponsible amount of coffee and still feel half dead.

Lucy climbs down from the chair with Bun tucked under one arm, the companion of choice today. “Miss Jensen says we’re learning about frogs today,” she gravely informs me.

“Exciting.”

“They eat bugs whole.”

“Horrifying.”

That earns the smallest twitch at the corner of her mouth. A tiny success maybe?

I drive her to school through drizzle and low-hanging fog, the kind that settles over Redwood Run like the town is trying to disappear into itself. Lucy hums softly in the back seat the whole way, absentmindedly kicking her sneakers against the car seat.

When we pull into the drop off line, she suddenly goes quiet.

Her fingers tighten around Bun.

I glance back. “You okay?”

“Are you coming back?”

“Yes,” I say immediately. “Of course.”

“Today?”

“Yes, Lucy. Today.”

She meets my eyes. “After frogs?”

“Yes. Definitely after frogs.”

She nods once, like she’s filing the information away for later verification.

Trust but verify. Sensible.

I walk her to the classroom door. Miss Jensen greets Lucy gently, kneeling down to ask about Bun and frogs and whether she’d like to help feed the class fish later.

Lucy actually answers her.

I stand there awkwardly holding her backpack for an extra second before realizing I'm no longer contributing meaningfully to the interaction.

“Okay,” I say. “I’ll… leave now.”

Miss Jensen smiles politely.

Lucy looks at me. “You forgot my snack bag.”

Right. Another excellent demonstration of incompetence from the woman currently responsible for the child’s wellbeing.

By the time I deliver the snacks and get back to the car, my shoulders are already aching with tension.

I tell myself it’s lack of sleep. But the note folded carefully inside my coat pocket certainly isn't helping.